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Defense Minister Kihara Aims to “Strengthen National Power” through Dual-Use Technological Development
On October 18th, 2023, Defense Minister Minoru Kihara emphasized in an interview with a Japanese newspaper at the ministry that they will encourage startup companies to enter the defense industry to advance technological development “with dual military and civilian applications.” He also stated t... -
Japan Successfully Conducts World’s First “Railgun” Firing Test at Sea
On October 17th, 2023, the Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) of the Ministry of Defense announced that, with the cooperation of the Maritime Self-Defense Force, it had successfully conducted the world’s first shipboard firing test of a “railgun.” If this technology is put into pra... -
Maritime Self-Defense Force Destroyer JS Kaga Advances in “Aircraft Carrier Conversion”
On October 10th, 2023, the Maritime Self-Defense Force’s Escort Flotilla Four announced on their official X account (formerly Twitter) that they had inscribed the name and ship number on the helicopter destroyer JS Kaga (DDH-184) after undergoing special modifications. The inscription was car... -
Ministry of Defense, up to 15% profit margin on equipment
In order to support the domestic defense industry, the Ministry of Defense has raised the assumed operating profit margin for companies when ordering defense equipment to a maximum of 15%. The system will be designed to evaluate performance in terms of quality and shortened delivery times, and re... -
Ministry of Defense Established Basic Guidelines for Strengthening Equipment Production Bases
On October 12th, 2023, the Ministry of Defense established its basic guidelines for implementing measures based on the “Law to Strengthen Production Bases for Defense Equipment” to support the domestic defense industry. The guidelines explicitly emphasize the “pursuit of domestically produced equ... -
Ministry of Defense to Research and Develop Unmanned Ground Vehicles for Island Defense
The Ministry of Defense is undertaking research and development on unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) to counter invasions of island territories including the Southwest Islands. The ministry plans to initiate this project within the current fiscal year and conduct operational demonstration tests in ... -
Ministry of Defense to Establish Maritime Transport Unit Centered on Ground Self-Defense Force
The Ministry of Defense plans to establish the “Self-Defense Forces Maritime Transport Unit” by the end of fiscal year 2024, with the purpose of rapidly transporting equipment and supplies to the Southwest Islands. This joint unit, composed of the Ground and Maritime Self-Defense Forces, will hav... -
Japan and Germany to Start Negotiations for Conclusion of Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement
On September 29th, 2023, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the Japanese and German governments will formally begin negotiations for the conclusion of the “Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA).” This agreement establishes a legal framework that enables the Self-Defense For... -
Japanese official to Head Next-Generation Fighter Jet Project with Britain and Italy
Japan, Britain, and Italy are coordinating to establish the headquarters of the international organization to direct the joint development plan for next-generation fighter jets in Britain, with a Japanese official at the top of the organization. It is expected that they will formally agree on thi... -
Ministry of Defense to Establish “Joint Headquarters”
The Ministry of Defense plans to establish a permanent “Joint Headquarters” that will centrally oversee the Ground, Maritime, and Air Self-Defense Forces (SDF). This aims to prepare for any possible emergencies that require the deployment of large-scale forces with the Taiwan contingency in mind,... -
Air Self-Defense Force Opens “Space Collaboration & Innovation Office” in Private Building to Utilize Civilian Technologies
On September 28th, 2023, the Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF) announced the establishment of the “Space Collaboration & Innovation Office” within a shared office known as “CIC Tokyo,” located in the private “Toranomon Hills Business Tower” in Tokyo’s Minato Ward. The office is home to 250 companies,... -
Defense Minister Met with U.S. Space Force General to Enhance Cooperation in Space Domain
On September 25th, 2023, General Saltzman, chief of space operations in the U.S. Space Force, met with Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara at the Ministry of Defense. They reached an agreement to strengthen cooperation in the defense of the space domain. General Saltzman stated, “Expandin... -
U.S. probe capsule returns, NASA in hot pursuit of Hayabusa
On September 24th, 2023 the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) announced that the asteroid probe OSIRIS-REx had recovered a capsule containing samples of sand and stones collected from the asteroid Bennu. Bennu is an asteroid between the Earth and Mars. It is believed to contain... -
U.S. Military Plans to Establish “U.S. Space Force in Japan” for Enhanced Cooperation in Response to China and North Korea
The U.S. military is planning to establish a new unit, tentatively named the “U.S. Space Force in Japan” to oversee space operations in Japan. They are preparing to make this announcement by the end of this year. This initiative is aimed at strengthening cooperation between Japan and the U.S. in ... -
Ministry of Defense grants UAV interceptor capability to "155mm howitzer"
The Ministry of Defense announced in its FY2023 "Preliminary Project Evaluation" released on September 8th, 2023, that it will pursue research and development of a new "integrated anti-aircraft fuse’’. Among UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) whose performance has been increasing in recent years, t...
